Duties and Responsibilities
Key Duties
* Provide detailed advice and guidance on funder requirements and project financial management processes and procedures to internal and external customers, using judgement and creativity to suggest the most appropriate course of action, and contributing to the solving of more complex issues.
* Prepare the University's quarterly financial claims, for selected projects, to the funder in a timely manner, ensuring that all costs charged are in line with the relevant University and Funder Financial Regulations.
* Review project finances at negotiation and/or award stage and update systems with any changes accordingly.
* Collaborate with others to make recommendations to improve our ways of working.
* Establish productive relationships with key contacts to help improve service levels, developing appropriate communication links with the University's Schools/Directorates and outside bodies as required.
* Manage any required grant audit certification processes.
* Monitor project budgets, prepare quarterly forecast reports, review exchange rates and advise Principal Investigators of any estimated under or overspends.
* Undertake a variety of administrative duties to support the team and department.
* Gather and analyse data from project financial reports to inform decisions, establish basic trends and patterns in expenditure when projects are not spending in line with agreed budget/profiles and create reports as appropriate.
* Ensure that all records relating to the University and project partners are maintained in line with University and Funder regulations and to satisfy internal and external audit requirements.
* Proactively gain up to date knowledge of the funder regulations, cost eligibility and supporting evidence and advise Principal Investigators, Project Managers, associated project team members and project partners of such requirements.
General Duties
* Abide by all University policies and undergo appropriate personal and professional development.
* Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role.
* Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties.
* Uphold the Professional Services Values & Behaviours or local equivalent.
Person Specification
Important note:
Please note that your application will be assessed against the following essential and desirable criteria for the role. Please copy and paste the essential and desirable criteria section into a new document and give clear examples of how you can evidence meeting each criteria by writing under each one.
We will use the person specification as a key tool for short-listing. Candidates should evidence that they meet all the essential criteria as well as, where relevant, the desirable. As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide this evidence via a supporting statement.
When attaching the supporting statement to your application profile, please ensure that you name it with the vacancy reference number, e.g. Supporting Statement for 20782BR.
Essential Criteria
Qualifications and Education
1. NVQ 3/A-Levels or equivalent qualification and/or experience in financial project management.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
2. Substantial experience of working in a financial administrative role.
3. Specialist knowledge of monitoring budget expenditure and preparation of financial reports.
4. Ability to set up standard office systems and procedures and make improvements as appropriate.
Customer Service, Communication and Team Working
5. Ability to communicate specialist and complex information effectively and professionally to a range of customers with varying levels of understanding.
6. Proven ability to advise and influence key stakeholders.
7. Evidence of ability to explore customers' needs and adapt the service accordingly to ensure a quality service is delivered.
Planning, Analysis and Problem solving
8. Evidence of ability to solve problems using initiative and creativity; identify and propose practical solutions and to resolve problems where there are a range of potential options available.
9. Evidence of ability to analyse processes and procedures and advise on improvements.
10. Evidence of ability to work unsupervised to deadlines, planning and setting priorities for own work.
Desirable Criteria
1. Experience of using Oracle financial accounting systems.
2. Experience of financial administration in a Higher Education or other public sector organisation.
3. Experience of external funding bodies funding rules and/or financial management of externally funded grants.
4. Fluency in Welsh, written and oral.
Additional Information
The Research Service
Cardiff is an ambitious and innovative university located in a beautiful and thriving capital city. Our world-leading research was ranked 5th for quality amongst UK universities in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework and we provide an educationally outstanding experience for our 30,000 students. With an annual budget in excess of £500 million and around 6,000 staff, Cardiff is a member of the Russell Group of the 24 leading UK research-intensive universities. The University has 24 academic schools grouped into three colleges: Biomedical & Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering and Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences.
The University's ambition is to rank consistently among the top 100 universities in the world. Cardiff is also developing its Innovation System through a focused programme of investment in people and infrastructure. Research funding secured from competitive, external sources exceeds £100 million annually and the University aims to grow this further through winning grants from a wide range of national and global sources.
The Research Service supports the University's research community in initiating and delivering research and innovation activities. Led by the Director, Vanessa Cuthill, we provides services via over 100 expert staff organised in five specialist teams: Research Grants Office; Research Integrity, Governance and Ethics; Research Development; Research Commercialisation and Impact; Research Strategy and Operations and Business Engagement and Partnerships. The Department works closely with academic and professional services staff from all areas of the institution.
Salary Range Min.
28,031
Salary Range Max.
31,236
Job Category
Admin / Clerical
Grade
Grade 4